As Nick sips a beer in the jazz lounge, a drunken Phyllis stumbles down the steps, and weaves across the room. She bumps into an employee and declares she didn’t do it on purpose — not that anyone in that town would believe her! Nick watches as she drifts over to sit beside him. He wonders what’s going on and she offers to tell him if he’ll buy her a drink. He’s guessing she’s already had enough. Phyllis claims she just wants to “annihilate the darkness” and announces that she had an epiphany. “Don’t try to change. Ever. It’s a waste of time,” she says. He’s not buying that.

As Phyllis peels off her fake lashes and mashes them onto the bar, she complains about how her kids walk on eggshells around her and her last chance at happiness blew up in her face. Removing a hair extension, Phyllis adds that she can’t escape from her history so why try. Nick assumes this is all about “a certain rock star.” She can’t even handle hearing his name and explains that Danny told her who he really wanted and it’s not her. Humiliated and rejected, her first impulse was to seek revenge. That just proves she can’t change.

Nick tells Phyllis to drop the “can’t change garbage” and points out she has changed over the past few months. Shaking her head, Phyllis says she hasn’t, and if she has, so what? When she asks for a drink, Nick suggests she let him buy her all the junk food she can eat instead. Phyllis says she wants the room service kind so she can change out of her dress. After stopping her from picking up her discarded lashes, Nick holds her up as they stumble out.

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Nick and Phyllis head to her suite. She rushes into the bathroom and he calls room service for cheeseburgers, fries, onion rings, and mac n’cheese. Phyllis stumbles back in wearing a robe and is thrilled to hear about all the carbs he’s ordered. Thanking him, Phyllis says he can go. Nick won’t let her have all that food herself. Phyllis requests he not let her kids know about all this. He promises they won’t hear about it from him. Phyllis makes herself a nightcap and Nick suggests they talk about whatever is bothering her. He’s there to listen without judgment.

At the Newman ranch, Nikki informs Victor that his evasion of simple questions is only making her more worried. They sit down and he explains that he’s heard from Jordan — she took the bait and his plan is under control. Nikki frets that Jordan is planning a trap of her own. Victor has guessed that too, but assures his wife that he will be successful this time. This is the last stage of his plan to stop “that woman” from causing the family more pain.

In an alley, Jordan dances while humming an old stripper song, and practices aiming her gun.

Michael arrives at the ranch and asks Victor if it’s really happening tonight. He says everything has been arranged as ordered but he doesn’t like the legal risks being taken. Nikki demands some information but her husband says the less she knows the better. He’ll tell her everything when he gets back. Giving her a kiss, he says he adores her and she needs to trust him. Once Victor and Michael have exited, Claire comes in, surprised to see Nikki up at this hour. Nikki is too keyed up for bed. Claire suggests she distract herself by telling her a story. Nikki thinks that’s sweet. Claire wants to hear all about how she and Victor got together. She’s only heard the way Jordan tells it. Her grandmother warns her to fasten her seat-belt.

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Nikki starts the story in her late teens, when she was naive and a bit of a wild child taking every wrong path she came across. After signing on to a modelling agency that fronted for prostitution, she joined a cult before becoming a dancer at The Bayou. It was there that she first met the much-older Victor, who was going through a hard time. He didn’t exactly ask her out but was determined to transform the street smart kid she was into an elegant lady. She had etiquette lessons, learned to dress, carry on proper conversation, and to play music. Claire assumes they fell in love in the process. Nikki says she certainly did, but it took Victor longer. They were married several times and always find their way back to each other. That’s a testament to their devotion to one another and their family. When Claire asks if Victor was really raised in an orphanage or if that was phony like her aunt claimed, Nikki confirms it’s true. Family was something Victor yearned for, and now he makes sure nothing will happen to any of them. None of this sounds like the terrible man Claire grew up hearing about.

In her suite, Phyllis fills Nick in on her plans for Danny last night before he went on tour. It was very romantic… but he showed up with Christine. This time she felt like they had a chance, that she was being rewarded for how hard she has worked at changing. It would be a chance to right so many wrongs from her past. Nick urges her not to look at this as good against bad and just see that Danny and Christine connected. “I guess I’m just not enough. How am I not enough?” she wonders. Her ex assures her she will be enough for someone else.

Laughing, Phyllis admits it’s weird talking about this with Nick. She’s been working so hard at being better and being the person her kids want her to be. At the end of the day, she just feels alone and lonely. Phyllis kisses Nick, who backs her off, saying it’s a bad idea for a lot of reasons — she’s not thinking clearly and they can’t go back to the way things were. When Phyllis suggests no strings, just two lonely people loving each other, Nick says he’s never mentioned being lonely. Phyllis reminds him that Sally dumped him for Adam, which completely kills the mood for him.

At the ranch, Claire asks Nikki when Eve came into their lives, then stops herself and apologizes. Nikki imagines it would be best to just let it all out. She asks if Jordan ever told her that Eve tried poisoning Victor. Jordan did not. Nikki explains that Eve was a menace. Mentally ill, she didn’t want to get well and continued on a path of destruction. She infiltrated Nikki’s wedding and tried stabbing her. This is all news to Claire, who is clearly disturbed. Nikki thinks she deserves to know the truth. It’s a lot for Claire to take in.

Standing up, Claire says this makes her think of all the things she did to her. “What if their madness is in me?” she worries. Nikki can’t imagine Claire is like Eve and Jordan for a moment — she has already proved how much she can change. That means a lot to Claire, who has worried about her mental state. “Jordan tried to destroy both of us. But look at us now!” Nikki says. She confides that Victor may be getting rid of her aunt forever tonight. All she knows is that he’s arranged to meet Jordan. If that works out, they have Claire to thank for having the strength to reach out to a woman who terrifies them for the good of the family. She’s proven that deep in her soul, she is a Newman.

At the GCAC, room service arrives at Phyllis’ door. Smiling, she tells Nick she knows he loves her just a little. They sit at the table with their deep fried feast. Nick assures her they will always be part of each other’s lives, and not just because of Summer, but because of their amazing history and all of its mistakes. No matter how tough it gets, Phyllis can always count on him. Phyllis loves listening to Nick, but teases that they could have done this in bed. Nick thinks she would have regretted it, but she shoots that down. Tossing down his napkin, Nick decides it’s time to go. As he gets up, Phyllis thanks him for everything. Seeing him to the door, she kisses his cheek and thanks him again. Nick tell her “any time,” and leaves.

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Michael and Victor enter an alley. The lawyer isn’t wild about this location and the lack of police backup. Victor is sure Jordan would have spotted the cops a mile away. Michael makes him promise that Lauren will have nothing to worry about. As his boss reassures him, Jordan sneaks up, her gun levelled on them. She peels off her hat and wig. Victor tells her that he’s kept his word and come without the authorities. Wanting to get to the point, she asks about the restitution he promised. Michael places a bag before her. Victor announces that it contains her new life: a bank account with ten million bucks, new IDs, keys and a deed to a house in the south of France. “With or without a pool?” she asks.

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Victor tells Jordan she can start a new life and not have to worry about anything. All she has to do is leave the States and never look back. Michael urges her to take the offer and Victor reminds her that Eve wouldn’t want her to spend her life in prison. Jordan asks what is going to stop him from calling the cops or rigging her house to explode. To assure her that won’t happen, Victor suggests she take him as her hostage. She can take him to a hideaway and lock him up before she calls his lawyer to come and get him. Michael makes it clear that if she doesn’t call, he will report her to Interpol and erase her bank account. Victor urges her to take hold of all she can dream — she can have a life of wealth or freedom, or a life despised and hunted like an animal. “Do we have a deal?” he asks. She raises the gun and glares at him.

Next on The Young and the Restless: Victor reveals his plan to retaliate against Jordan, Victoria comes to Claire’s defense, and Nick makes a bold move.

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